Starshards
by w nymph
Summary: Multichap, AU – For Signer and Dark Signer alike death isn’t as permanent as it should be and there are always consequences to be considered…
1. Prologue: Clustered stars stumble

Yes you see right, I'm starting yet again another monster of a mulichap-AU. Well it was either that or a very strange 5D's /DBZ crossover One Shot, that didn't really have a point (other than amusing the hell out of me, which is why I'm going t finish it one of those days XD).

Anyway, this has been rotting for about two months in my lj now, without having anybody to really look at it and since I like it an am almost finished with chapter one, I thought I might as well get it up here. I'm not really sure about the title yet, so it may change if I find something moe suitable. Feel free to make suggestions though, cause I suck at titeling.

Enjoy.

**Warnings**: Spoilers for whole series; resulting from this being a moster of an AU I'd like to say that I expect this to result in a certain level of OOCness, simply because different choices result in different character developments and reactions. But I'll try not to let them go too much put of order.

**Summary:** Multichap, AU – For Signer and Dark Signer alike death isn't as permanent as it should be and there are always consequences to be considered…

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's.

**--- Starshards ---**

**--- Prologue: Clustered stars stumble---**

Somehow this wasn't what it was supposed to be like, Yusei thought as he defeated his third opponent. Of course he had known this last Zone M would be tough, tougher than anything that they faced before. Their infamous reputation as Team Satisfaction, the one invincible team that was determined to dominate over everyone else in Satellite, had a long reach after all.

So Yusei had counted on difficulties here, perhaps that some of their old challengers would ally to a team of four trying to keep them from their goal as a matter of principle. However he had not thought to be confronted with a team of twenty instead of four. And despite what Kiryu had said abut them being alright with it, he couldn't help but feel that the game had been tainted by their opponents actions.

He turned to the last standing opponent on the roof. The whole time he had been duelling he had noticed the nervous glances the others have thrown him, especially after being defeated one by one. "Take it you're the leader?" he called out, his voice calm but behind that mask burned anger.

The other didn't even bother to hide his anger. "Bastard, how dare you-!" he spit. Yusei tried (and somewhat failed) to keep his face straight; but then he focused. There was no use in getting riled up, not if he could just give all payback needed in a duel.

"You were the ones who sullied the duel! I'll make you pay your just dues!" In an often-practiced movement, Yusei threw the cuff, which closed around the other's dueldisc. However now the other had regained his calm and chuckled; and somehow the sound send a foreboding shiver down Yuseis spine.

"A match is all about winning." the older man declared as he grabbed the rope that connected their discs.

"And winning means… beating down your opponent." He started running towards the edge, dragging the surprised Yusei with him.

He jumped over the rail to the next roof, leaving Yusei confused on just what that bastard was planning. And the moment he realised, it was to late, the other already pulled hard on the robe, using all his physical advantages against Yusei to pull him of the roof, calling: "See you in hell!"

But Yusei was not yet about to panic; it was not that easy to use his own weapons against him. Quickly he pulled the rope himself, drawing near to his opponent and the other roof. But the other just considered him a superior smirk as he took of his dueldisc.

"Later kid." he whispered, knowing all to well that this fall was not one to be survived.

And then Yusei felt gravity truly kick in, and as he was falling, he couldn't suppress the scream of shock. From the ground he heard Crow and Jack call his name but neither would be able to help him.

"Yusei!" It was Kiryu. In a split of a second he turned and saw the cuff that their leader had thrown to him, the lifeline he needed. He stretched and for a moment he felt his fingertips touch the cuff. But gravity won and he continued falling.

His mind went blank and he realised: He was going to die. Now.

And suddenly for the split of a second the cloudhung sky above him turned blue and wide and free. And cutting through that sky towards Yusei was a dragon with white skin, blue scales, wide wings and gleaming yellow eyes; and he felt it's fierce battle cry reverberating in his ears and soul.

And then the moment was gone and he was falling again. He felt himself connect with the ground.

And then there was nothing.

-------

This is not real, Jack Atlus thought as he heard Yusei scream and saw him fall. But then he heard Kiryu call and for an instant relief settled within him. There was no way that Kiryu would ever let anything happen to a comrade (nothing permanent anyway). If they couldn't fix a situation by themselves, they could count on Kiryu to be the first to be ready to help them, to defend them. They were like brothers; always together, never abandoning another.

But not this time, this time Kiryu was a nick of a second to late, missing Yusei; turning all relieve back to ice-cold fear. And in the seconds in that Yusei collided with the ground, the time stood still.

This is not real, his heart said, fiercely denying what just had happened, screaming in rage, in pain.

This is reality, his mind said and the birthmark on his arm throbbed slightly, as if in agreement.

And then loud desperate cries snapped him back to the world, and he noticed that while he had spaced out, Crow had run to where Yusei had fallen, calling his name in faint hope, again and again. And despite knowing that he would be having nightmares over the sight Jack followed.

But even in his imagination the picture couldn't have been worse. The sight was one that would forever be burned into his memory.

Yuseis lifeless body, reduced to a mess of scratches and bruises and odd angled limbs, and the way Crow had cradled it, in despair, tears left running freely while his shirt started to soak up the their brothers blood…

Blue eyes, that usually were the only indication of their owner's true feelings, so void, so…

Dead…

And as this truth sank in, he fell on his knees to his brothers other side, his heart screaming in agony but his voice unable make even the slightest sound. Silent tears ran down his cheeks as he listened to Crows loud sobs…

And suddenly they heard a loud, anguish scream from above them and Jack looked up just in time to see Kiryu leap across from one roof to the other. In order to pursue whoever is responsible for this, he realised.

And in an instant he followed, leaving Crow behind… Not in order to back up Kiryu, because in all the time he had known their leader, despite his strong believe into unity and comradeship, Kiryu rarely needed help.

No, because now terror and agony were pushed back by anger and thirst for vengeance, burning hot and consuming. He wanted to see that bastard scream; scream in pain, like his heart did now. A moment later he was already up to the roof, kicking open the door that separated him from Kiryu and their enemy.

But the sight that greeted him once again made Jack stop in his tracks and drained any thoughts of revenge from his mind. Not even a few meters away from him he saw Kiryu, who had pressed their adversary to the ground, beating down into his face merciless, again and again, spluttering curses and insults and promises of death and sounding like he meant every word of it. Wordlessly Jack watched the mess that took place before him; he had never seen Kiryu like this. Of course, he had seen Kiryu angry before. But even then it always had been controlled, never violent like this.

"Kiryu…" he whispered, still not quiet able to comprehended what had happened just minutes ago; what was happening just right before his eyes.

"Kiryu!" he called, now loud, forcing himself to deal with the scene before him, and tried not to shiver when Kiryus eyes, now piercing, amber gems that promised no mercy, fell upon him. But then Kiryu turned away again, more interested in the bloody mess beneath him, leaving Jack speechless.

Who was that person that now wore the skin of Team Satisfaction's leader? Because this wasn't the Kiryu that Jack knew, the one Jack admired. Infiltrated he lunged forward, grabbing for the older man. "Oi Kiryu! Come to your senses!"

He managed to get hold of their leader, locking his arms beneath his, dragging him away from the already unconscious other.

"Let me go Jack!", Kiryu barked enraged; struggling in his iron grip; and again Jack was shocked by the hard, cold edge his eyes still held, but didn't yield anyway.

"Stop it Kiryu." He said instead; his voice strained by the effort he had to put into holding the other in place. "You are killing him!"

"So what!" Kiryu hissed back, his voice like his eyes indicating that he was now beyond anger, beyond reason. "It's not like that fucking bastard doesn't deserve it! He killed Yusei. This is revenge for our comrades death."

And there was still a part in Jack that agreed, that called for raw vengeance; that wanted the bastard to bleed and die. But there was a far larger part of him that was stopped by blue eyes, as deep as the ocean, eyes that read his soul and made him feel foolish just with a glance; that condemned the need for revenge.

And so he buried it, forcing himself to calm, praying to whatever force was out there that Kiryu would come back to his senses soon, as he spoke what he knew true with quiet voice: " Do you really think that Yusei would want that?"

He started to hope again as he felt how Kiryu ceased struggling; a bit at least. "Do you think he would have wanted us to sink on… on that bastard's level?"

"Well, it's not like he is around to be asked, is it?" Kiryu spat as he turned his head, but now that their eyes met again Jack was confronted with something but ice. Now there was anguish, pain reflecting in Kiryus eyes, deep and raw, as he totally stopped his struggling, just hanging in Jacks hold like dead weight.

Jack tried to think of a way to reply, but damn this wasn't his job, he wasn't all that great in the comforting department. And seeing Kiryu, Kiryu of all people, reduced to a shaking mess by the pain, by the guilt, and being unable to do anything to change that made him feel even more helpless. It was Yuseis job to keep everyone staight, damnit!

And now he realised for the first time just how much he relied on everyone else in the team, how he needed Kiryu to be unbreakable, Crow to be cheerful and daring, Yusei to be grounded and just there!

Jack continued to seek for something he could say, anything that wasn't that raw cry of pain that was about to release itself from his throat, one that could only end in total breakdown. Because right now he was needed to be the strong one, to get what was left of their team out of the district, back to their own turf. Kiryu certainly wasn't able to do that right now.

But before he had found any words to say, before his mind had even stopped to think in straight lines again, the earth started to rumble and shake, and for a moment Jack fought hard to keep panic at bay because Kiryu still wasn't moving. Not even when the earth shook even fiercer, making Jack realise that there was no way that the building they were in would hold and that they would go down right with it, if they stayed as they were.

He released Kriyu, knowing that he wouldn't move anyway, to run towards the edge of the building. Looking sown he saw Crow's hair contrasting with the rest of the alley, helping him pinpoint his friend.

"Crow!" he called down to the red head that was still sitting beside Yusei, unmoving as if not noticing the erupting chaos around them, not registering the shaking buildings that could drop on his head any minute…

"Crow, get your ass up!" Jack shouted again, a panicky edge in his voice, as he saw that his other younger brother was still unresponsive. Finally Crow looked up, whipping away tears with one hand while the other refused to let go of Yuseis body.

"Help me! We can't leave him behind!" he called up.

Jack quietly bit his lip; there was no time for this now. He needed to get Kiryu out of the building and Crow out of the alley and both of them alive. The shaking had just decreased, but somehow he had the feeling that the worst was yet to come. If they kept dragging Yuseis body through the district they would probably get all killed as result.

"Leave him." He called back, the slightest bit of hesitation in his voice but somebody had to be strong had to voice reality as it was and currently he was the only one able to. Even from afar he could see the blank glare that Crow gave him. "What the…?"

"I said leave him!", Jack shouted, louder and more certain this time. They needed to get out here. He turned around knowing (hoping) that Crow would come to the right decision and join them as soon as they were out of the building. He ran back to where Kiryu was still sitting, grabbing him by the arm, hoping that the building wouldn't break until they were out and far away.

A minute later Jack was already outside on the wide main road, dragging Kiryu after him. When he was in the middle of the street he turned to the ally and a sigh of relieve escaped him when he saw Crow, the shirt still bloody and tears still running down his face, hurrying towards them.

His eyes fell to Crows left hand noticing but not commenting on the deck it was firmly gripping. A Warrior-Machine Synchro deck consisting of 42 cards (40 cards main- and 2 cards extradeck), that Jack knew as well as his own.

Grabbing Crow by the shoulder less than gentle, Jack pushed the younger boy in front of him, all while dragging along Kiryu. Further away from the building towards another that looked far more stable, the ground beneath them rocking worse than before as the three of them stumbled to safety.

And finally they reached it, just as before the shaking became yet again stronger, Jack grabbing one side of the doorframe, pushing Kiryu towards the other and pulling Crow to his chest, stabilising the smaller boy.

When the earth stopped shaking, the building they had just been in had broken down, burying Yuseis body. Jack stayed silent as Kiryu slid along the frame, sitting down, his eyes dead and defeated. He stayed silent as he glanced down to Crow, who was holding onto his shirt with his right, his left still clutching Yuseis deck, his loud sobs the only sound ringing through the district.

This wasn't his job, Jack thought again. It was not his job to hold everyone together, to ground everyone. It was Yusei, who knocked him down a notch, when he became to arrogant; who kept Crow from being too daring; who was level-headed no matter how enthusiastic Kiryu became. It was Yusei, who knew exactly if one of them was worried or bothered, who was not afraid to call it on them, who would listen no matter what and offer comfort in his own silent way.

And once again Jack realised just how much he hurt. Just how much the knowledge of his brothers, of Yusei's death hurt him, how much he still tried to deny it. Even before Team Satisfaction, Yusei and Crow had been an absolute constant in his life. That one day one of them might be just gone, had been unthinkable. And it hurt far more than Jack had ever thought it would.

And somewhere beneath all that hurt, he started to wonder if friendship was really worth that pain. Really, what was the point of having comrades, when them leaving, them dieing hurt you so much that you might as well be dead yourself?

-------

It was long after the rest of the once proud Team Satisfaction had left and night had fallen over Zone M that they came. Two figures in black pitched robes that held differently coloured strips, one red and one yellow, who were as silent as the night, moving within it's shadows, almost as if the light was avoiding them on purpose.

The buildings around them bearded the marks of senseless destruction, like so much on the island of Satellite. Yet even though their surroundings showed no orientation points, they walked with out straying, as if guided by a higher force.

And then they stopped in front of the destruction's epicentre, knowing that whatever had agitated the darkness and had driven them to leave the safety of their hiding place in order to investigate, was just before them. Silently the yellow-stripped man pulled out a card, like the ones usually used for the Duel Monsters Card Game. However this card and the others the both of them possessed were engulfed with the power of death and darkness, making them so much more than just a card-game.

With a flick of his wrist the man send the card flying, and in a flash of dark power the rocks before them where reduced to dust, giving way to a red glow that started to enlighten the lightless place. The two figures stepped closer to examine their find.

Beneath steel beams, which had worked as shield from the falling debris, was the body of a boy, hardly older than sixteen, sprawled seemingly lifeless on the ground. It was no pretty sight. The boys cloths were ripped, his arms bent in unusual angels, many scratches marked face and body and the ground around him was soaked with what seemed his own blood. But the truly curious thing about the boy, that made him their concern, was the crimson-red mark that shone from his forearm.

The yellow-stripped man crouched to the boys side, his gloved hand hovering over the boys throat, as if unsure if he should touch him. But when they finally connected, pain raced up the man's arm, causing the purple, monkey-shaped mark on his own forearm to pulse and glow in response to the boys.

The boy hissed, showing that he was indeed alive no matter how impossible it seemed by the looks of his body, as the red mark glowed in an even fiercer light, and one of the various scratch marks on his face disappeared slowly, fading until it looked as if it had never been there in first place. Even so he stayed in the realm of unconsciousness.

The crouched man withdrew his hand and looked up to his companion: "So he is the cause of the disturbance…"

"It appears that way…" the other agreed as the first one rose again, facing him.

"What shall we do with him?", the yellow one asked.

The red one stayed silent for a while; apparently not quiet sure how to react in the situation. But rushing would do them no good, not when they had more then enough time. So he took the time for himself, consulting the darkness, only speaking up again when he had reached a conclusion.

"We will take him with us.", he said firmly, not wanting to leave no place for doubt or objections. "The Signer shall serve as the first sacrifice to the gods of the underworld."

Yet the yellow one was still hesitant. "Is that really alright? He is a Signer after all…" Taking the Signer with them, would mean that they would have to restrain and contain him, because once he awoke again, he would see them, would attempt to flee and fight, which they would have to prevent in any case. It was far too much of a hassle if you were to ask the yellow one.

"Of course…" the red one said, unpleased that he was being questioned but knowing that he needed to explain his reasoning.

"The Crimson Dragon has granted the Signer life, for the purpose of fighting us. However this life is unnatural just like ours and there is a price to be paid for it. The darkness demands his freedom as that price. Also, right now the Signer is weak and has no idea of his fate or powers. If we were to leave him as he is, he will only grow in both, might even become a true threat to us."

The yellow one bowed his head, in agreement and apology, while picking up the boy and throwing him over his shoulder, ignoring the pulsing of both of their marks. Yet he could not totally dispel his doubts. The red one quickly caught onto that.

"Think of it as a present.", he suggested, as his silver-shining eyes fell onto their capture. "It would be certainly rude not to accept, don't you think?"

TBC…

-------

**Now, the various things Icey/nymph wants to ramble about:**

**Pairings:** I think I should state this in the beginning before I get reviews pressing me about this issue (if I get any at all that is). This fic doesn't have any real intended pairings. Their MIGHT be some Faith- and Scoopshipping later, and if you choose to interpret the Kiryu-scene in the next chapter as Inverseshipping, go ahead. However this is not a romance story nor do I intend to make it such. Just wanted to have this mentioned once so that nobody can complain.

**The Dark-Signers-scene:** That one was actually written before we got to the true introduction of Rudger in 45/46. And if I had to pick my favouite line in the whole chapter then it would be Rudger's "Think of it as a present." I wrote that one almost immediately when I started on this scene just because it felt to good to pass up on.

**Preview:** Time jump to about a year later, Crow has to come to terms with the team falling apart, Kiryu contemplates about the fate between Signer and Dark Signer and how it affects his releationship to his former comrades and Yusei wakes up in a place, unlike any he has ever seen before.

So, review anyone?


	2. Chapter 01: Clustered stars scatter

And see here, Chapter 01 is finished. Don't think that I'll ever update this quick regularily, it took me two months to write all of this. But I'm satisfied with how it turned out, I think.

Enjoy.

**Warnings**: Spoilers for whole series; resulting from this being a monster of an AU I'd like to say that I expect this to result in a certain level of OOCness, simply because different choices result in different character developments and reactions. But I'll try not to let them go too much put of order.

**Summary:** Multichap, AU – For Signer and Dark Signer alike death isn't as permanent as it should be and there are always consequences to be considered…

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's.

**--- Starshards ---**

**--- Chapter 01: Clustered stars scatter ---**

Often enough, Crow wondered how different things could have been if Yusei had survived. Would they be ruling the Satellite? Would their leader still have snapped and lapsed into violence, almost killing a person and getting arrested in the process? Would they have lost Kiryu no matter what, first to his own darkness then to death?

Crow didn't know, would never know how different things could have been. 'What if' didn't matter anymore. It had stopped mattering before Kiryu had lost it. It had stopped mattering before they had arrived at Martha's that one night, with no idea how to break those terrible news to her and no will to do so – but then again they never had another pace to turn to. Not that it had mattered; one look at them had been enough for her to guess.

He would never forget the grieve struck look that had flashed over her face before she had won back her composure and quickly hushed them into the House, offering them comfort instead of grieving herself. (But Crow had heard her cry afterwards that night, when she had thought herself to be the only one awake, and hearing her sob while being unable to comfort her, because he too was still to numb from the pain, had hurt him all the more.)

The 'What if' had precisely stopped mattering the moment Yusei had fallen and died.

'Because…' Crow thought angrily, clenching his hands to fists, 'there is just no fucking way to turn back time.' And Crow would do that, without a second thought, if he had the option. Not just to bring back somebody he considered his friend, as close as a brother, but also to reverse everything that had happened in the aftermath.

Because, so Crow believed, they wouldn't have fallen apart like they had otherwise. But Yusei had died and the grief had broken all of them. Kiryu had stopped smiling, stopped caring, had become angrier and angrier, at them and himself, at everything in Satellite. Had sought out and challenged anyone with a duel disc, cruelly mocking those weaker than him. Yusei's death, his own failure to keep a comrade safe, had shook and twisted him, Crow reckoned now.

Back then it had just sickened him, had caused him to break away from Kiryu and Team Satisfaction, Jack following him shortly afterwards. If they distanced themselves a little, Kiryu would calm again, would overcome the pain and grief at least a little, they had thought. They had thought and hoped only to be shocked to hear, that Kiryu had challenged Security on his own, being hunted merciless like a rat by them.

He could still feel the touch of Kiryus hand, just before he had declared their last stand against security. When he thought back then he could taste the pure despair and defiance he had felt when he and Jack had tried to reason with Kiryu.

And that bitter knot in his chest that had formed as they had watched Kiryu being led away, even though they had tried to stop it by turning in themselves for him (because damned them, if they disappointed Yusei, who would have done anything for a comrade, like that), still throbbed in agony because they had failed and lost yet another brother.

And today that knot hurt even more. Because right now Crow was losing the last of his brothers. He hadn't known what to think, what to say when Jack had told him that he would be leaving for the city just the day before (aside of "What the fuck?" Or "You can't!", but he had bit those words back because he wasn't about to let Jack know that he needed him).

Instead he had asked why, in what he had meant to be a cool, distanced way (although he cringed as he admitted to himself that it had probably sounded just haunted and heartbroken). Jack hadn't even looked at him as he had declared that he couldn't stand staying in Satellite anymore, that the chance to leave was only given once and that he wasn't about to let it escape.

And a part of Crow understood because who of them hadn't looked longingly at the lights of the city wishing nothing more than walking beneath them.

He did notice the way Jacks left hand clenched absently over the birthmark on his right forearm, the one which's unknown meaning had bothered Jack ever since he had known him. And perhaps it was really calling Jack but that didn't stop Crow from thinking that Jack was running. Not that he called him on it – in a way he was about to run himself giving into the despair of just not knowing what to do with his life.

And so he stood near the docks, in the shadows of one of the unused warehouses, silently watching Jack depart from Satellite.

He told himself that he just felt tired, when he felt the knot in his chest throb again as he saw how Jack approached the security-copter, the ticket into a new life, without looking back once.

He told himself that there it was probably just about to rain, that there where no tears running down his cheeks as he watched the copter leave towards the glittering lights of the city.

And he fiercely denied the loneliness that was hurting him as much as Yuseis death and Kiryus arrest had; loneliness that he last had felt many years ago before encountering Duel Monsters, before forming the bonds that he had thought would last forever. Only that they hadn't. Instead they had carved a wound in his heart, wide and raw and still bleeding and burning like hell itself. And somehow Crow wasn't sure if he would ever recover.

-------

Kiryu Koysuke had known exactly what he had gotten himself into when he had chosen to become a Dark Signer. Sure the first few months had been unnerving, the knowledge that under normal circumstances there was no way that he would be moving and breathing had made him uneasy and snappish at first.

The knowledge, that right now the only thing that kept him from becoming one with the darkness of the world beyond was the very thing, that now was branding him with both the giant-shaped mark on his right forearm and the card in his new and improved deck, that had already once dragged him back from death…

But he had gotten used to it, had embraced this choice of his as the only way to fulfil the strong need for revenge that reined his heart (and also the only way for his one true wish, the one that he would never speak out aloud – the one that he tried to keep hidden from his new comrades, that he had admitted only once to the Envoy of Darkness).

Revenge against those, whose arrogance had tormented most of his life and that of everyone else in Satellite, the authority that controlled the island with an iron fist. First they had abandoned Satellite in its dark hour of creation, never sending any supplies or sanitary help in the years after Zero Reverse.

Instead they had spent their time building the pipeline, that now send the cities garbage and creating horror stories about the poor towns citizens, alienating them from their society.

Satellites citizens roughly could be sorted into three classes: Those who had been unlucky and had been in that part of the city when Zero Reverse had occurred, those who had been even unluckier and been born on the island in the last fifteen years and those who had been just stupid, pissed of Authority and been send to the Satellite as a punishment. At least later ones had a chance to return to the city if they behaved well enough.

The rest of Satellite wasn't so lucky. Most of the adult had lost their wills to live on by now, sinking into a horrible state of apathy; only those who had found themselves a reason to go on, like Martha and Doc. Schmitt, were left as something one could call a role model.

The youths, Kiryus generation, guideless and without any idea what to do with their lives, had grown despaired not to be left behind in the same state as the adults, had been hungry to prove themselves, which had resulted in the duel gang wars.

The children, most of them left to the streets and only very few actually lucky enough to be taken in by people like Martha and Crow, were left without anybody to guide them and hold them, dieing before reaching their teens and those who did would be left in the same state as the adults by the time they did.

Kiryu had been three when Zero Reverse had occurred and still could vaguely remember how it had been before, had fleeting recollections of his parents' laugher and his older brothers excited rambles. He was one of the lucky ones of his generation, although sometimes he wasn't sure whether that was really luck or curse.

Because his memories made him all the more angry at anyone who degraded him just because of the fact that he was of Satellite (which were mostly bastards that had come from the city; Kiryu had made sure that they learned as quickly as possible that they really should watch whom they chose to try and mess with in Satellite).

Before meeting the rest of his team, Kiryu had been a loner, knowing exactly what he wanted, but was left without the means to reach his goal. Until he had met the other three that was. He remembered the day so clearly and the memory made that small shard of his former self twitch in longing, desperately wishing back the days when they had been together.

He had met them per accident; he had been simply wandering through the Satellite, looking for a challenge and they had accidentally stumbled into the Zone of one of the more hostile gangs. They had been on an errant for Martha, had had know idea of the war that raged through the city; Martha's house was too isolated for that. Not that the opponent gang had cared about that. When the challenge had been issued, four against three, Kiryu had stepped in, proposing himself as the outnumbered boys temporary ally.

And afterwards when he had seen that glance in their eyes, just as hungry and unsatisfied as his own, he had known that he was more than willing to make this temporary partnership more permanent. In the end it had become more than just a partnership, far more than that. Knowing what he did now, Kiryu sometimes wondered, just how much of their meeting had really been accident. Wondered how much had been fate.

It had changed him, their friendship had become something so fundamental in his life that he couldn't help but blame himself for not preventing Yusei's fall. Couldn't help feeling utterly betrayed when Crow and Jack refused to take his side when he had challenged those who in the largest sense were responsible for everything.

Still, somehow he couldn't fault Jack and Crow for backing out, for trying to keep him from challenging Security as well. They had just lost Yusei, whom Jack had known his entire life and whom Crow had been the closest to. Losing one of their own had been devastating for the team. It had left Crow in despair, Jack in bitterness and himself in maddening rage (and guilt because he SHOULD HAVE watched out better, not trusting blindly that everything would go well; not that he hadn't trusted into his team – no, it was their opponents, who already had proven from the start that they didn't keep themselves bound to standard etiquette, that he should have watched closer.)

Yet he thought, that Yusei would have stayed. Yusei would have stood on his side and would have shared this ambition of destroying Authority (and somewhere deep down in his soul that small, last fragment of who he used to be, of Team Satisfaction Leader, laughed at that thought – yes, Yusei would have stayed, for his sake, and left the moment that he saw no other way to keep him from doing something utterly stupid… like challenging security).

But whether Yusei could have stopped him from being arrested or not didn't matter anymore. Wondering about it didn't change the reality, in which getting arrested had resulted in him becoming much more than he had been before. Becoming Dark Signer was as much blessing as it was a curse. And now here he was, walking down to the lower levels of the Dark Signers hide out, partly to escape his new allies, partly to fulfil a duty he had taken up now.

It had been while wandering aimlessly, like he had done it so often in his first few weeks as a Dark Signer, that he had found the one person he was now about to visit. He was in one of the deepest levels within the former Momentum Research Centre, the one that consisted of small cells, one after the other. Determined Kiryu kept going, knowing exactly where the prisoner, he was about to visit, was contained and did not pay attention to the groans and whimpers coming from the places all around him. He was not interested in what Rudger did with the puppets that he captured and kept around.

Silently he reached the cell he had aimed for, soundlessly opening the unlocked door, there was no need to lock it, nor was there actually one to be silent. The imprisoned was not in any state to escape anyway; he was held by something far more chaining than a simple door lock.

Kiryu's eyes flickered to the unconscious form of Yusei, taking in the still form of his former teammate for the first time in a while. Yusei, just like the last time he had visited (not to mentions all the times that had come before that), was lying on the bed, unresponsive, unaware of anything that happened around him.

When he first had stumbled over his former friends body he had been shocked to find him there, and had afterwards gone beyond mad, had angrily demanded an explanation from Rudger, the one the darkness whispered he should follow (which again forced him to suppress that last left shard of Team Satisfaction Leader, because Kiryu Kyosuke hated nothing more than being depended). Rudger had just laughed, had asked him why he would care; Yusei was now the enemy, a hated Signer, after all and a former teammate, who had let Kiryu down by dieing. Shouldn't Kiryu be hating him instead of being concerned?

"That wouldn't be any of your business. " Kiryu had replied icily, amber eyes narrowing dangerously (and in afterthought Kiryu admitted that perhaps in his anger, he had given away far more about his own feelings than he ever intended to let Rudger, or any of the other Dark Signers for that matter, know. Then again he had never been known for being smart when worked up).

Rudger had kept chuckling, but after another heated glare of Kiryu he had started explaining it all. Had told Kiryu the truth behind the Zero Reverse-incident and his own involvement as well as that of Yuseis father.

He started speaking of the Momentums very nature, the negative rotation that kept the doors to the underworld opened up and was the source of all their power. And of Yusei, who when he had been about to die, through his nature as Signer, had unconsciously called to the Momentum, resulting in a short moment of positive rotation. This, so Rudger, was the true reason why Yusei was still alive.

Kiryu had frowned, he had been unaware that the Signers could deploy the power of momentum as well, this one down here in Satellite served as Doors to the Underworld after all.

"Them and us," Rudger had explained when he had seen that unasked question on his face "are like two sides of the same card. It only makes sense that we tape into the same energy source."

"Of course, it is sure ironic, that Fudou-hakases very own son has been chosen as Signer and stands now in our way. That he holds the power to effect the momentum and the entrance to the Underworld the way he did." Rudger had continued, stepping close to his former comrade, his now enemy, causing all three birthmarks to start glowing, "He makes a fine prey."

"Ah" Kiryu had agreed, now somewhat calm, but still reeling over the fact that the friend he had thought dead, was alive, was given life from a the same power as himself, yet ending up totally different.

"That is why he is mine." he had declared, his voice cold and leaving no room for argument. If Yusei was to die by the hand of Dark Signer than at least he would make sure that the last face he saw would be a familiar one, so he had thought back then.

Rudger had kept that amused expression of his (and deep down in his heart between cold anger and darkness and loyalty to the Dark Signers and their cause, that tiny part, that Kiryu kept telling himself was dead, felt infiltrated by Rudger, for what dare he to decide his brothers fate like this), but then had agreed, although had set one condition. "You'll have to keep up the seal, Kiryu."

"Seal?" he had echoed frowning; the purpose of such escaping him at first, then cursing himself. There was no way that the state he had found Yusei in was natural. Rudger had nodded, and smirked. "Even though he's weak, we can't take any risks here."

"If you want him as your prey, then it will be your duty to keep him under." Kiryu hadn't had any choice but to agree. Which led him to the present.

His face was unreadable when his fingertips touched Yuseis forehead, while his mind ghosted along the physical contact, checking if the mental restrains were still in place and order. Since taking over this duty from Rudger he had put a lot of thought into the situation.

Yusei hadn't been supposed to die that day. Destiny, the fate that tied them all together – Signers, Dark Signers and the people connected to all of them – refused to let him go. Just like it kept the Dark Signers.

The light had been to stubborn to release its grip on him; had even dared to use the darkest power to keep its carrier alive. Rudger had felt that – his connection with the Momentum being the strongest of all Dark Signer – and had held no qualms to use that in order to weaken the light.

By keeping the Signers, whose powers grew through unity, apart, they would become easy prey. By keeping Yusei down, unable to coherent what was going on around him, he was an easy target especially since Crow had unknowingly taken away his only means of defence by taking his deck.

When he had taken Yusei, Rudger had realised that he was deliberately tipping the balance. The legend foresaw five Signer as well as five Dark Signer. By keeping Yusei imprisoned he hoped to insure that the Signers would start with a far weaker hand when the time to battle came.

Kiryu had thought long about this and more in the last few months and found that he could care less about legends and fate. But he knew this was one fight he would not be able to avoid, he didn't even want to. The ways they had forced to keep living were like two sides of the same coin. And something in him burned to find out which one would dominate the other.

Sighing, finding no fault in the seal, he pulled back, perhaps brushing the younger bangs per accident. The first few times he had come here, something in him had raged, at the state of his friend, at the unavoidable confrontation that would come. But by now that small shard of Team Satisfaction Leader had calmed, had resigned himself to this fate. Now the only thing that Kiryu saw in Yusei was prey; a challenge to himself that he would eventually crush with the power he had gained in death.

Glancing back a last time., Kiryu walked out again, leaving the room as if he had never been there. Rudger planned to keep Yusei like this, to keep him sealed and weak, unable to fight back once the time of battle came and unaware that his time was steadily running out. It was only a matter of time until the rest of the Signers gathered together and then the Crimson Dragon would give the signal to start the eternal struggle once again.

But unlike Rudger, Kiryu held no illusions. Seal or not, when the time came Yusei would be ready to face him. Because, if Kiryu Kyosuke was sure about one thing then it was that it would take far more than a mind seal to stop his former comrade. Yusei – just like him, just like Jack and Crow – was driven by the inability to bow, to resign to fate. It was only a matter of time until he would start to struggle against the chains of darkness. And once he broke the seal, reentering reality, he would have to prove his worth as a Signer. And Kiryu would be waiting to see it. Would wait for him to grow to the peek of his potential and then bury him and his unnatural life with the darkest power.

Because that was the only form of kindness, that Kiryu Kyosuke was still capable of.

-------

And in the beyond, somewhere between dream and wake, between imagination and reality, where a second could last for Millennia, was Yusei trapped in a nightmare of darkness and pain, unsure whenever he was dead or alive. He was feeling weightless and falling, falling endlessly, never hitting the bottom and being swamped by despair and never ending darkness. Not the darkness that was soothing, comforting like the night, this darkness was clawing, seeking to gain entrance to his heart and mind, wanting destroy him from within.

Yet he kept clinging to the memories of friendship and warmth and hope, of Jack and Crow and Kiryu, of Martha and the children, all younger than he, that he left behind with the House. He kept holding firmly onto those bonds because they were the only light to keep the darkness at bay.

And after the endless fall, that had seemed like lasting forever; the light came far to quick swallowing him, sending him into unconsciousness, finally giving his tortured mind peace.

When Yusei awoke again, his body felt like on fire. Pain swept over him as he groaned and as it faded he rolled to his side and only then he noticed how hard the ground beneath him felt, that there was ground beneath him to begin with. Slowly he touched the ground, his fingers keeping entangling themselves with something that seemed to grow from it. Grass, he realised.

Yuseis eyes snapped open at this, his throat dry and his heartbeat so loud that he could hear it thundering in his ears, as he sat up and gauged his surroundings. This wasn't Satellite. There weren't any meadows like this one in Satellite. The grass of Satellite (if you were lucky enough to find a patch) wasn't coloured in this healthy, rich green; it was brown or yellow-greenish at best. There weren't any trees like this; not this tall that Yusei almost thought that they would touch the sky.

Confused he thought himself on his feet, stumbling into the shadow of said trees and sliding down the trunk, because his head hurt and the world spun. Burying his hands into his hair, he closed his eyes as he tried to retrace his steps (because even the ground was softer than any natural surface in Satellite; proofing that wherever he was, it was far off from home).

He remembered duelling (right, they had entered the last Zone, determined not to fail now so close to the goal).

Remembered the unfair conditions the bastards that controlled Zone M had set up (and it still made his temper flare; trying to beat them with strength in numbers instead of wits just showed how little honour they had).

Remembered going after their leader on that roof, letting himself get baited by the older man (a beginners mistake, especially bitter for somebody who had grown up in Satellite).

Remembered falling, and Kiryu's desperate attempt to safe him.

Remembered the dragon and its gleaming yellow eyes that had pierced through his soul and its screeching roar, loud and angry, and burning pain, shooting through his right arm, as if wanting to brand him forever…

Yuseis eyes snapped open as he gasped, his forehead covered in cold sweat, sucking in air, holding his right arm in his left; it did feel as if on fire. And starred as he saw a crimson glow coming from it. Slowly he removed his left hand, wordlessly starring down on the unfamiliar mark that covered his forearm, the form of a fierce looking grimace starring up to him.

Yet, he mused, the design was oddly familiar, like that of Jack's mark, the one that had accompanied him ever since Yusei had known him. He drew in a deep breath, trying to get his wildly beating heart under control, and felt somewhat relieved when the crimson glow started to fade, leaving the mark behind, its dark lines in sharp contrast to his tanned skin.

He was still on a loss about what had happened. He clearly remembered falling down a building; did that mean he had died? And if he had then was this afterlife? And if he had died then just why did he keep feeling pain (because, as far as Yusei was concerned, pain, while uncomfortable, was the greatest proof of life, so how could he feel pain if he was dead)?

Still slightly shaky, he fought himself back to his feet, if he wanted to get answers then he would have to find somebody to ask in first place. Standing again, he leaned against the trunk, focusing at the task at hand in order to fight of the confusion he felt (not to mention the panic; there was to much going on around him, that he just didn't understand). Taking one last deep breath, he pushed himself of the tree, stepping forward and felt accomplished when he felt far less shaky then before.

But before he could take much more than a step away from the meadow, the bushes behind him started rustling. Turning around towards the noise, then cursing himself because the quick movement caused yet again dizziness to wash over him, he focused onto the moving bushes, stabilizing himself against the next available tree.

And gasped when he saw just what jumped out of the bushes. It was a lion, half as tall as himself, with white fur, amber mane and eyes and a horn centred on its forehead. The grey, heavy looking armour the lion wore made it look all the more dangerous.

Moving into a slightly more defensive stance (though Yusei knew, if the lion chose to attack him, he wouldn't stand a chance, even if he had been at his best which he wasn't), Yusei was stunned when the lion bowed to him. "Welcome, Signer-dono."

It was talking, and Yusei wasn't quite sure if he was more startled by that or by the unfamiliar sound of being addressed with an honorific, especially one as old and respecting as -dono.

Then the rest of the address caught up with him and he repeated slightly questioning: "Signer?"

The lion nodded, its amber eyes meeting his. "Ah, one of the Chosen Five. My Mistress send me to guide you. I shall bring you to her."

Yusei blinked at that, just as confused as he had been the moment before. Talking lions, Chosen Five; somehow the situation could be stemming from a rather cheap fantasy novel. Or from a very weird dream.

Then again he had just witnessed his own arm glowing (and there was still the dragon; he had only seen it for a moment, yet since waking up it had never been far from his thoughts). And hadn't he been the one, who had just got up to find somebody to talk with? There was no real reason to distrust this Mistress (other than the fact that 'summons' in Satellite usually had to do with repaying an overdue debt, which in most cases did not well for the debtor, but somehow Yusei doubted that this applied here, he couldn't really think of any debt he might have made) and in the end maybe she would even be able to tell him just what was going on. So Yusei nodded, keeping his face carefully blank of emotion: "Show me the way."

They travelled quietly, Yusei stopping every now and then to fight off the slight dizzy spells that kept hitting him. He didn't mind the silence; he was still too busy with trying to warp his mind around the appearance of this place he had washed up at and of talking animals that seemed to populate it (and of the suspicion of his own death).

Yet he couldn't help but noticed that the farther they travelled, the darker the woods seemed to become. Yusei shivered when he suddenly found himself surrounded by leafless trees – they almost seemed to reek of death and despair.

"The result of _their_ influence is showing." the lion growled, addressing no one in particular, and for a moment Yusei wanted to ask just who "They" were, but something in the lions voice told him that his question would be left unanswered.

Finally it seemed that they reached their destination, the lion leading Yusei out off the dead woods onto a meadow. He looked around; it was far larger and more open than the one he had rested at, but he shivered again when he saw just how dead the trees and the ground, which had no grass, looked. In fact, he couldn't find even the smallest bit of green. Something didn't feel right about this place.

His eyes narrowed at the stone monument that stood in the middle of the meadow. The Dragon it displayed looked as if carved out of it, as if it desired nothing more than to escape the stone.

Keeping those thoughts to himself, Yusei turned to his unusual companion: "Why are we here?"

The lion ignored his question and bowed his head towards the monument instead: "I've brought him Ancient Fairy-sama."

"I thank you, Regulus." a bodiless voice echoed over the meadow, sending Yusei into confusion as he looked for it's owner. Strong winds blew through the forest and the lands and the soft light and bell-like sound that came from the monument caused him to shield his eyes with his left.

When Yusei looked back to where the light had come from, his mouth went dry and he flinched as that mark on his right arm throbbed and started to glow in crimson light once again. Yet he couldn't help but feel awestruck as the spirit of a large blue dragon with wallowing green hair and butterfly-like wings settled before him.

"Welcome, Young One." she said, her melodic voice reverberating while the wind played with her translucent hair.

"I am Ancient Fairy Dragon."

TBC…

-------

**Now, the various things Icey/nymph wants to ramble about:**

**Kiryu:** You know, for me, Kiryu is the hardest character to write. He is a real pain as far as I'm concerned especially from his own POV. I think I have him somewhat down when writing him from Yusei's POV (then again, I actually think that Yusei is an easy character to write), but when I get to his own POV I'm blocked. The problem isn't just that I already have troubles writing his canon-self but also that he is rather AU in Starshards because his motives have changed. Not to mention that the show never really stated what is actually up with him. I'm quite a bit unsure concerning him, and would love have your opinion on him.

**Rudger:** Um yeah, I have no real excuse for him other then that this was mostly planned before the show told us that he's the fifth Signer and that his greatest motivation to fight is to have Signer and Dark Signer battle each other. I'm not sure yet how I'll find my way out of that one, but then again I've still only roughly planned the City-arc and actually have no real clue what to do with the Dark Signers. We'll see, perhaps show gives me a good idea or two now that the end of the DS-arc is about to start.

**The Spirit-World-twist:** You know this story mostly exists, so that I can live out the various twists that I always wanted to see and have now stuffed into this fic. This particular twist has been on my mind since about 35 (together with the Yusei-getting-kidnapped-by-Dark-Signers-thing XD). I've been envisioning the meeting between Yusei and AFD since then. Anyway I'm also curious what my readers think about it.

**Preview:** Yusei and Ancient Fairy Dragon talk about the fate of Signers and Yusei finally gets some answers; but that just could result in even more questions. Afterwards, while trying to fight his way free from the Dark Signer's spell he is confronted by an entity that calls itself the "Envoy of Darkness"…

So this ends as all chapters end with a plea for reviews, concrit, and so on.


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